


A Walk Around the Block (In Autumn)

by Neon_Opal



Category: Actor RPF, Original Work
Genre: Accents, Autumn, Birthday Presents, Chocolate, Cutesy, F/M, First Kiss, Flirting, Fluff, Holding Hands, Romance, Shopping, Some Humor, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, city, taking a walk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-12
Updated: 2013-10-12
Packaged: 2017-12-29 03:25:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1000308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neon_Opal/pseuds/Neon_Opal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What to do all alone on a birthday but buy yourself a present and sit in the park by yourself, but then the autumn wind blows in a handsome English stranger.<br/>Original Caracters bassed on Hugh Dancy and Claire Danes. 4 short chapters-complete</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Walk Around the Block (In Autumn)

**Author's Note:**

> Here is one of the ones from 8 or so years back I that I'm trying to make sure get saved from an abandoned forum in case it "goes away" and it's nice for this time of year.  
> Hope I got the catagories right for this place- as we often used to write things other places with "the actor/actress playing" the part of the original charactersin an original story. So this being- Hugh Dancy as Ian Nigel Cliveden the Fifth and Clair Danes as Laura Brown. Part of original authors notes that I didn't recall before searching it out again... "This was written for a competition where some strange elements were to be included, but I wanted to share it here. Hope you enjoy"...I don't remember what all those elements were but think one was the origami, one,Jack Nickelson and one the pluming problem-lol- but I do hope you enjoy this bit of seasonal fluff. It is very sappy but I still think I like it, I even shared it at a writting class back then- only a couple edits and lingering typos changed

*~*

CH. 1 

 

Laura watched the man enter the square from the north gate. She was sitting alone on a bench in the crisp October air. She was glad she had worn her heavier coat of russet corduroy and a nubby knitted scarf of brown with flecks of bright color in the yarn. Leaves scattered around her like discarded scraps of paper, scratching against the ground. The man she had noticed was really well dressed and stylish yet in a conservative way. Gray flannel trousers dark over coat, plaid scarf, tousled dark hair. He walked as if unaware of his surroundings, totally obvious.

She sat by the fountain. It had already been turned off for the winter and was full of fallen leaves, a splash of reds, oranges, yellows and pale greens instead of water. Her attention went back to the man as he walked alone, eyes down on his well-polished shoes not hurrying. He was attractive, his cheeks ruddy from the wind as he walked in her direction. She scanned the park. Not many people were about as the breeze was sharp and the sky was overcast and gray. A homeless man sat on the bench across from her nursing a cup of coffee, a couple of toddlers played in the leaves.

Just then she looked back to see the man she had been watching was quite near and he tripped…over the purple gift bag she had on the ground by the bench.

"Are you ok?" she asked looking at him.

“Oh! Oh, dear me. I hope I haven’t spoilt the present.” He said looking up finally. His voice held a cultured English accent. He bent down and set the bag to rights, looking a bit alarmed and flustered. “Don’t know where my mind is today.”

“It’s OK. It’s only for me. I know what it is.” Laura told him. 

He looked at her curiously. “Pardon?” 

“Oh, sorry…Ummm…it’s my birthday present to me.” God that sounded pathetic to say out loud, she thought. She looked away, her straight red hair falling in her face.

“May I?” The man asked indicating the seat beside her when she looked back. The English were so polite, she thought.

“If you’d like.” She answered and pushed her hair out of her face, wondering why he’d bother to sit with her. Was it a lame come on? But what the heck it would be nice to look at him and listen to him for a minute anyway. He was even more handsome this close and the accent sounded heavenly. She could leave if he got creepy.

“So today is your birthday and you have gotten yourself a gift?” He asked slightly raising his eyebrows.

“I know it’s pathetic, but I have no friends here and my family is far away and well…” She looked back at him worried he’d be laughing but he was smiling in a friendly encouraging sort of way, so she continued. “It’s just not a birthday without a present to open.”

“I suppose it’s not. What about cake and ice cream?” He asked smiling pleasantly.

“Pudding, Chocolate pudding.” He looked confused again and she remembered the English used that term for all deserts. “Umm… like custard I guess. It’s what my mom always made on my birthday instead of cake.”

“Really?” He inquired. 

“Yes it was my favorite.” She thought she might cry thinking about her mom and birthdays when she was young. As much as her mom could get on her nerves, she loved her. Laura hated being alone on her birthday.

“May I take you some place to get some? One should always have ones favorite things on ones birthday and they are best shared with others, don’t you think?” He said in matter-of – fact way and grinned. He was a spark of brightness on the gloomy day.

He looked nice enough but you never knew about people these days but the company of a cute English gentleman would be a pleasant thing on her birthday. She guessed his age at about 30 years, just a bit older than herself. As she considered his offer a commotion right beside the fountain drew their attention away from the matter. A shaggy gray mop of a dog had broken away from it’s elderly owner and was humping a businesswoman’s leg.

They both laughed at the ensuing antics. The elderly tried to get it back in control and the woman tried to step away. It was pretty funny. The businesswoman was looking appalled and trying not to spill her five-dollar latte and the elderly man was trying to catch the dog but without putting down the grocery bag he carried. Both of them were yelling at the dog and at each other, as the leash became entangled in their legs.

“Reminds me of a dog I used to have.” The Englishman turned to her and said. “He was called Boomer and he humped anyone and anything. Once I was trying to impress this girl I fancied, and up runs Boomer to hump her leg just like that dog over there. Oh it was so bloody embarrassing.” He said shaking his curly dark head with a twinkle in his eye.

“I can’t believe you told me that.” She laughed and he blushed. He really was adorable; his blue gray eyes were interesting looking in the gloomy light. His lips were full and red.

“Neither can I but I wanted to make you laugh you seemed rather too sad altogether for your birthday.”

“Thanks.” She smiled at him her hazel eyes shinny with amusement. 

“Much better. Now how about that chocolate pudding, do you know a place that serves it?”

Well he didn’t seem like an axe murderer Laura decided. Axe murders would never tell an embarrassing story like that and then invite you out for pudding.

“I was going to go to the dinner around the corner.” 

“Then let’s have a walk around the block shall we?” He stood up and held out his hand. She let him take it and help her up. She picked up her bag and they left the square. His hand felt nice in hers.

 

CH.2 

 

They wandered down the side street looking in the windows of shops as they went. The leaves making a satisfying crunching under their feet. There were quite a few unique little stores and boutiques off the square.

“So do you have a name my mysterious English man?” She asked looking into his lovely eyes, which now seemed a bit more green.

“Oh goodness how improper of me not to introduce myself. I’m really such a disgrace for all my appearances.” He held out his hand to her. “ Ian Nigel Cliveden the Fifth. Pleased to make your acquaintance.” She shook his hand.

“Laura Brown. Sorry my name is so boring compared to yours.” She shrugged and grinned.

“Sometimes a name is a burden you are always compared to those who came before you but you have to use it all so as not to be mistaken for one of them.” He informed her in a practical manner.

They had stopped in front of a shop with paper goods and specialty books. A cheerful autumn display was in its window.

“I always wanted to learn origami.” She told him examining a boxed gift set in the window with and instruction book and brightly colored papers. “I'd probably be all thumbs at it, though.”

“You’d never know until you tried it.” He smiled. “Shall we stop in for a moment? Do you have a busy schedule?” He asked pronouncing schedule in that British way that sounded so funny to Americans. She stifled a giggle and answered,

“No, it’s my day off.” He opened the door for her and they entered the shop. It was a cozy sort of place and it was empty except for a lone young woman with straight blond hair who sat behind a desk at the computer. Looking up she said to them politely,

“Let me know if I can help you find anything.” 

Laura approached the desk, “Actually do you have any new books about writing?” 

“Yes, I’ll show you.” She answered getting up. “They are towards the back.” Linda followed the sales lady; she had lost track of Ian already.

As the sales lady pointed out the shelves of writing books a harried woman with a desperate looking child hurried up.

“Bathroom? Please?” The woman asked. The child was bouncing up and down on his toes and clutching himself.

“This way.” She told the woman and child leading them off. “Please ask if you have any other questions.” She said to Laura over her shoulder as she hurried away.

“Thanks…you’ve been very helpful.” She answered but probably wasn’t heard over the distance.

She began to browse the shelves. There were several books that looked interesting. She took a few off the shelf for closer examination, becoming engrossed in comparing them. Ian was suddenly beside her. He looked at the section she was studying. He smelled really nice she noted, an outdoors spicy scent, but not too strong.

“Sorry I was taking so long. I’ll have to come back next week to chose one.” She liked being this close to him.

Just then they heard a shriek and a hall door opened, the woman and child rushed out. “The toilets’ over flowed, it’s blocked.” The child was crying loudly.

“Shall we move on?” Ian asked politely. “I think now would be a good time.” But he was trying not to giggle. She sensed a sense of humor under the proper exterior.

“Are you very interested in writing?” Ian questioned as they made their way out of the shop quickly. She saw he was now carrying a package.

“Yes, I always have been but have been getting more serious about it recently.” She told him as he held the door for her.

“What kinds of things do you write?” 

“Nothing you would find interesting.” She almost winced as she answered. 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yes, I write historical romances mostly.” She blushed imagining him as the ravishing highwayman in one of her stories.

“OK, you’re right, I probably wouldn’t be interested.” He laughed, “but my sister loves those things so be sure to let me know when you get one published and I’ll buy it for her.” He smiled.

 

CH.3 

 

When they arrived at the dinner Ian opened the door for her again. She could really get used to these English manners she thought. The diner was one of these odd little places you didn’t see much any more with a lunch counter and a row of booths down one side. Decorated in vivid blues, chrome and vinyl. The waitress looked like she came out of an old TV show with a pink uniform and beehive hair do. They took a seat in a booth.

They placed their order and Ian handed Laura the bag he had left the bookshop with.

“Happy Birthday.” He announced. 

“For me?” She asked surprised. She opened the bag and inside was the origami gift set. She was so pleased she hardly knew what to say for a moment. “Thank you, that was so thoughtful, but you didn’t need to get me a present.”

“I wanted to. Can’t blame a man for wanting to make a pretty woman smile on her birthday.” And she realized she was smiling, grinning from ear to ear in fact, because he was so sweet to buy her the set she had commented on.

“Now open your other present, I want to see what you got for yourself.” 

“Oh…Ok.” She looked down doubtfully at the purple gift bag she had placed beside her.

“It’s nothing embarrassing is it?” He winked as he said it, making her blush. 

“No.” She laughed brightly and lifted out a box of fancy expensive chocolates. “My favorites. A treat for my birthday.”

“So now I’ll have to get you a gift on your birthday or at least send you a card.” She told him. “When is it?”

“Sorry you’ll have to wait a bit love. It’s just past on Sept 14th. My brother, however, was pleased with that date. Originally I was due to be born was August 30th same as his birthday. He was very happy I was two weeks late as he didn’t want to share his birthday as well as his toys with a baby brother.”

The waitress brought their chocolate pudding and coffee and apple pie as well for Ian. As the began to eat she asked him,

“So do you get along well with your family then?” 

“My brother and I are best mates now but different as can be I followed the family tradition and went into banking and he is a professor of philosophy at university. How weird is that?”

“Did you ever want to do something other?” She asked and took a spoonful of pudding.

“Actually not really I wanted to be just like my dad. I dabble in a bit of writing myself but it’s mostly articles about banking and finance and such.” She watched his lips as he took a bite of pie. Wondering what it would be like to kiss them.

“What about your mom? What is she like?” She asked to turn her thoughts away, pushing back the hair that had fallen across her face.

He smiled and chuckled in a sexy throaty way and licked a bit of pie filling from his lip. Oh yeah that was helpful she kicked herself at the new rush of thoughts she was having about him.

“Mum, got to love her but, she is so traditional. Constantly nagging at me with, when are you going to find a nice girl and settle down? It gets so annoying. I think she scares off all the woman I do meet by asking them things like; do you want to have babies right away after marriage.” He rolled his eyes.

“Oh God, my mom does that too, but it’s…. when are you going to find a good man and start having your own babies instead of taking care of other peoples… When are you going to stop taking care of other people’s babies and have your own? On and on she goes. Totally annoying!” She made a face at the thought of it. “Oh, I’m a nanny, which I don’t think I’ve said.”

“No you hadn’t. So why don’t you? Settle down? A lovely young woman such as yourself should have plenty of suitors to chose from.” He took a sip of his coffee and put his cup down watching her closely. She wanted to fall into his eyes. Why was she even starting to think like this about him. He lived in England! She would never see him again. So she answered his question,

“You don’t meet many guys being a nanny, always pushing the baby in the stroller with you when you are out. Men assume you are taken. And it’s not easy to get out at night much either to meet guys with this type of job. But don’t get me wrong I do love my job.” But she was getting a bit weary of it she realized.

He could probably tell because he said, “Maybe it’s time for a change?” But he also sensed a touchy subject and changed it. “So what is your favorite scary movie?”

“The Shinning! Jack Nickelson is so freaky in that. He totally gives me the creeps!” She shuttered thinking about it. “What is yours?”

“I’m a bit more in the classic vein for that. I’d have to go with Psycho.” 

They bantered on easily like this for quite a while until the waitress started giving them dirty looks. After that they got up to pay the bill. As their change was counted they heard a loud screech followed by a thud outside, and turned to see a bicycle rider down on the pavement. The bicycle was twisted and bent. They went out to see if there was anything they might do to help. The riders' arm was at an odd angle and was definitely broken. He was moaning in pain while the frantic looking driver shouted into a cell phone. A police car pulled up and a crowd was gathering. Realizing they would only be in the way Laura and Ian moved on.

“Have you ever broken a bone?” Ian asked her. 

“Only my thumb when I was two so I don’t remember it much. You?” 

“I was a very active kid. So I had my share. As a teen I fell off my bike much like that but I was showing off for a girl and hit a parked car. Bloody embarrassing and it was painful too. I feel for that chap back there.”

“Poor dear. Not much luck impressing the ladies back then.” She teased. She felt comfortable enough with him already to do that.

“Not much luck now either. Ladies run fast when they see me on the streets of London. Can’t impress one to save my life.” He smirked in a playful way at his own misfortune.

Laura laughed with him and thought he had impressed her. He was extremely good looking (OK that might even be an understatement), he was witty, intelligent, had a good job (so he must be responsible), he was even thoughtful (buying her a gift like he did), AND HE LIVED ACROSS THE OCEAN! Other than that one major flaw he would be the perfect man for her. She told herself to stop thinking about him in that way. To just store up the memories of the nice English man whom she had spent her birthday with. He was only being kind and perhaps a bit lonely away from home himself. He would never like her like that anyway. She was sure he had better choices than a woman who spent her time watching babies and writing stories about romances that she would never have.

“Penny for your thoughts?” She heard Ian’s soft lilting voice say. 

“Oh sorry…I was just thinking.” Laura shook her head to clear it. 

“Obviously. About what? You were far away.” He looked at her and touched her face.

“Umm…nothing important…just something foolish. I didn’t mean to be rude.” 

“No not rude at all and I’m sure it wasn’t foolish.” His eyes caught hers and his hand lingered on her shoulder.

She had a moment of panic maybe he did like her. Still it would be hopeless with him so far away. Spotting the Dollar General Store she grabbed the hand he had let drop. He was staring at her in an intense way but her mind barely registered it.

“Come on this place is fun.” She tugged Ian’s hand gently and began to pull him towards the shop.

 

CH.4 

 

The store was a mad jumble of low cost novelty items, decorations and household goods. Laura loved to look through it. There was always something amusing and once in a while even a good deal or two. She hadn’t let go of his hand she realized but nor had he let go of hers.

The two of them wandered the aisles. It was nice being this close to him. Picked over pumpkins and tattered cardboard haunted houses cluttered the front area. They were strewn about on tables and in large nearly empty bins. People who hadn’t gotten Halloween decorations yet weren’t going to find much. They reached the far row where Christmas things were already set out though Halloween was still over a week away.

“Oh how dreadful is this Father Christmas?” Ian made a face and he held up a Santa figurine. Santa was bending down with a package to put under a tree but his pants were falling down showing a plumbers crack.

“I can’t imagine anyone buying that even for a dollar. It is really terrible.” Laura agreed as she giggled.

“Ahh… but this on the other hand is very useful.” He lifted up sprig of mistletoe and held it over her head.

She let him kiss her right there in the middle of the aisle. Not caring if anyone was watching. While rather innocent as kisses go it still sent a shiver down her spine. It was perfect. His lips lingering on hers quite a while before he pulled back.

“Thank you. That was lovely. I don’t suppose you’ve ever thought of looking for a job in London?” He asked standing close and looking down at her.

“I hear it’s terribly romantic there.” 

“It is.” He kissed her quick again before putting the mistletoe down. 

“When do you go back?” Laura asked. Maybe they could have a proper date at least before he left. There was no mistaking now that he DID like her.

“Unfortunately my flight leaves late tonight.” The disappointment was clearly showing on his face. They made their way outside and headed back toward the square.

“Oh, ” was the only reply she could manage. She was disappointed too. 

“But you can send me a crane.” Ian told her as they walked quickly. The wind was blowing even harder than it had been earlier. They sky was heavy with clouds where it could be glimpsed between the buildings. He put his arm around her protectively to shield her from it.

“A crane?” Laura questioned him. 

“Yes, when you learn to do the origami. You can send me a crane, the symbol of happiness I believe it is.”

“Okay, I will send you a crane.” She smiled brushing the hair out of her face to look at the smile he was returning. It was comforting walking with his arm around her. They had soon reached the fountain again filled with its colorful leaves.

“Here is my card, both business and personal addresses and numbers, e-mail and so on.” He said watching as she carefully put the card in her bag.

“Do nannies have business cards?” Ian asked Laura. 

“As a matter of fact we do.” She dug one out of her purse and handed to him afraid the fierce wind would whip it away and him as well, and it would all have been a dream. But her fingers connected with his and he clasped her hands in his as he took it. Holding them in his.

“I’m serious about you thinking of seeking employment in London. I think you could use a change. I’m sure I could help you locate something and then we would have an opornity to get better aquatinted.” He winked at her.

“I’ll think about it.” I was too much to process at the moment but she would think about it later.

She looked up at him. He had pulled her close. 

“You are beautiful and I had lovely day with you. I’m sorry I have to go like this. Truly I am.” He said to her hair snuggling her against him.

“I’m sorry too, but thank you for giving me a wonderful birthday. When it started out so lonely and dreary for me.”

“I hope to be here again on business next month can I meet you again then?” 

“Yes, I’d like that.” She smiled up at him his dark curls in his face from the wind. A huge gust suddenly churned a multi color swirl of leaves around them and he was kissing her and holding her to him. It was the most magical kiss she had ever received.

“Until we meet again then.” He whispered in her ear and as the wind died down he was gone. Leaving her with the sent of fallen leaves and his wool coat and his taste on her lips to know it was real. She stood there a moment with an idiotic grin on her face and then she kicked up some leaves, twirled around and shouted,

“This has been the best birthday ever!” She stopped and stood watching his back as it retreated through the gate at the opposite end of the square.

 

The End

**Author's Note:**

> ~*~  
> I freely admitt I live under a rock and even at the best of times am out of the loop about even what favorite actors are doing. Today (about a month after posting this) I Googled for a pic of Hugh to show some one and saw he had married Clair Danes in there somewhere and they had a child. So funny- fanfic forshadows life. May also explain why this got more reads than I expected. Must seach out what movies they are up to before I crawl back under my rock. Maybe I will revisit writting about them. They may be as close to am OTP as I every get.


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